Bolt-clipper.



F. A. ROBERTS.

BOLT CLIPPER.

APPLICATION HL'ED AUG-5.1915.

.lnvenfor. Frederick A. Hoberfs bYJa/lX MkW ATT'ys THE COLUMBIAP-LANOGRAPH cD., WASHINGTON, D. c

FREDERICK A. ROBERTS, OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS.

'BOLT- CLIPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

Application filed August 5, 1915. Serial No. 43,859.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK A. ROB- ERTS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Somerville, county ofMiddleseX, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inBolt-Clippers, of which the following description, in connection withthe accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on thedrawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to bolt clippers and has for its objects toprovide an improved bolt clipper which can be inexpensively manufacturedand embodies a simple construction and which has other features ofimprovement, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and thenpointed out in the appended claim. 1

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of boltclippers embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22,Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a sectionon the line 44, Fig. 3; Figs. 5 and 6 are side and edge views of theintermediate adjusting member.

My improvements relate to bolt clippers of that known type which involvea pair of handle members 1 pivotally connected together at 2 and a pairof cutting jaws 3 and 4 that are pivotally connected by bolts 5 withcross straps 6 and are also pivotally connected by bolts 7 withintermediate adjusting members 8 that in turn are pivoted to the handlemembers 1 at 9 and 10, respectively. Bolt clippers of this generalconstruction are now commonly used. My improvements relate particularlyto the intermediate adjusting members 8 and their manner of connectionwith the handle members 1. These intermediate adjusting members are forthe purpose of providing means for adjusting the cutting edges 3 and 4so that when the handles 1 are closed together with the stops 11 inengagement the cutting edges 12 of the cutting jaws will be shuttogether, as shown in Fig. 1.

In my improvement, each intermediate adjusting member 8 is formed at oneend with the female portion 18 between the arms of which the end of thecutting jaw is received, the pivotal bolt 7 extending through the armsof the portion 13 and the end of the cutting jaw. Each of these pivotbolts 7 is shown as screw-threaded at one end, as at 14, saidscrew-threaded end having screwthreaded engagement with one of the armsof the female portion 13 of themember 8. The other end of each member 8is formed with the male projection or portion 15 which is entered in arecess '16 formed between the two sides or checks 17 of the handle 1.The bolts 9 and 10 which connect the adjusting members 8 tothe'handle'levers 1' extend through the sides or cheeks 17 and the maleportion 15 of thelintermediate adjusting member 8. Each intermediatemember is provided with a set screw 18 which is screw-threadedtherethrough and is adapted to engage a shoulder or projection 19 formedon the handle member 1 thereby to adjust the position of theintermediate member 8 relative to'the handle member 1. By manipulatingthe adjusting screws 18 the position of the intermediate members 8relative to the handle members 1 can be changed, thus varying therelative position of the pivot bolts 7. This adjustment provides meansby which the positions of the cutting jaws may be changed as desired totake up wear and to keep said jaws in proper relative position.

When the device is in use the intermediate adjusting members 8 areintended to maintain a fixed position relative to the handle levers l asdetermined by the adjustment of the adjusting screws 18, the ends of thelatter being maintained against the abutment surfaces 19. The resistanceof the bolt or other article being cut will hold the inter mediateadjusting members 8 in this position during the cutting operation. Whenthe handle levers 1 are separated, however, to open the jaws 3 and 4 anyresistance to the opening movement of the jaws would tend to swing theadjusting members 8 about their pivotal bolts 9 and 10 so as to separatethe adjusting screws 18 from the abutment surfaces 19. In order toprevent this I propose to make the .bolts 9 and 10 of specialconstruction, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

Each bolt is provided centrally with a screw-threaded portion 20 thatscrews into the male end 15 of the intermediate adjusting member andeach bolt is also provided with the plane or smooth portions 21 and 22that extend through the cheeks 17 of the handle members. Thescrew-threaded portion 20 of the bolt 9 is right-handed, while thescrew-threaded portion of the bolt 10 is left-handed. When these pivotalbolts 9 and 10 are inserted in place and screwed up tight the action ofthe screw-threaded portions thereon will be to draw tightly together theface of the male portion 15 and the inner face 24 of one of the ears 17,thus providing a frictional engagement between these faces which issuflicient to resist any tendency of the member 8 to swing outwardlywhen the handle levers 1 are separated to open the jaws. By making thescrew-threaded bolt 9 a right-hand screw thread and that of the bolt 10a left-hand screw-thread, any tendency of either member S to swingoutwardly when the jaws are open will serve to clamp the faces 24. and25 still tighter together, thus making a rigid connection between themember 8 and the handle member 1. It will thus be seen that I provide abolt clipper which has the usual provision for adjusting theintermediate adjusting members 8; which has such a construction that thenecessary rigid connection between the intermediate members 8 and thehandle levers 1 is secured without the use of any auxiliary parts otherthan the pivot bolts 9 and 10 which are necessary to form a connectionbetween the members 8 and the handle levers 1. The construction of thedevice is thus simplified and cheapened.

Another advantage of the construction is that the device can be readilytaken apart because all of the joints are made by means of removablebolts instead of rivets.

I claim:

In a bolt clipper, the combination with pivotally-connected handlelevers, of cutting levers,.intermediate adjusting members pivotallyconnected to the cutting levers and each provided with a male portionwhich is received in a recess formed in the corresponding handle lever,and a bolt extending through the walls of each recess said bolt beingscrew threaded a part of its length removed from both ends of the bolt,said screw threaded portion having engagement with the male portion ofthe adjusting member received therein, the screw-threads of one boltbeing right hand and those of the other left-hand whereby a rigidconnection between the adjusting members and the handle levers ismaintained when the handle levers are separated to open the cuttinglevers.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERICK A. ROBERTS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 3.

